Directory board for office buildings



Ot. 5 RIDER 1,829,541

DIRECTORY BOARD FOR OFFICE BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 7, 1930 Sheets-Sheet lOct. 27, 1931. G. s. RIDER DIRECTORY BOARD FOR OFFICE BUILDINGS FiledFeb. 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

.f U.. my?? W N//m/Q/ u BY j/ W' @fw Y, GRANVILLE S. RIDER, OFFLUSHING,'NEW YORK, l.ASSI-frlil'OIIR. T0 NATHAN SCI-IOENTHAL lilPatented Oct. 27, 1931 yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DIRECTORY BOARD FOR OFFICE BUILDINGS Application filed February 7, 1930.Serial No. 426,474.

vor bulletin board, for oice buildings,'hotels,

etc.

The general object isto'provide such a card exhibiting ordirectorystructure which may have the desired attractive and decorativeappearance, is at the same time of reasonably simple and economicalconstruction, has great security against tampering by unauthorizedpersons, and has new and improved facilities for operation by authorizedemployeesin inserting or readjusting the data strips or other cards.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved construction orarrangement of individual exhibiting panels in a main frame,

' improved means or arrangements in the individual panels for Veasyinsertion or other manipulation of the data strips and .secure retentiont erect; also new and improved means of pivotally mountingithe'individual panels as units in thev mainframe.

A :further object is to provide resilient means acting between the 'mainframe or casing and the panels, and vthrough the panels also acting 'onthe door, whenthe door 1s unlocked or unlatched, to initially move Vtheuse in the present structure, assutticiently repanels and at the same'timeto initially move the door toward open position, so that the doormay be easily operated'without necessity or an external'knob or'handle.

Reference is made to companion applications, Serial Nos. 426,47 3,426,474, iiled `F eb. 7, v1930, which show generally analogousstructures, and especially locking or latching and latch operatingmechanisms suitablefor erred to below, but'not speciiicially claimedherein.

The characteristics-'and advantages of the invention are furthersufficiently explained in connection with the followingv detaildescription of the accompanying drawings, which show one representativeembodiment. After considering this example, skilled personswillunderstand that many variations may be made without departing from theprinciples disclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structuresthat are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. l is a front elevation of a card exhibiting or directory struct-ureembodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a section at 2-2, Fig. l, enlarged.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, in side elevation, showing the pivot orhinge mounting of one of the card or directory strip holding panels.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the parts positioned formanipulation of the cards or directory strips and also showing one cardpanel removed.

T he main frame or casing l of' rectangular, shallow box form, has anopening 2 to receive an inset door 8 in which a cover glass 4 ismounted. The door is hingedly or pivotally mounted in the Vframe onhinge pins in the 'frame engaging in hinge lugs 5 at the top and bottomor' the door frame at one side thereof, these lugs projecting outwardfrom the frame, thus providing an offset hinge mounting so that when thedoor is swung open, as

suiiiciently shown in Fig. 5, its hinged side will swing out, clear ofthe adjacent side member of the main frame or casing, thus permittingfull door opening with a door which is, in closed position, inset withinthe main frame opening, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Near the back of the frame or casing and crossing 'its central openingare upper and lower horizontal bars or strips 4a and an intermediate orcentral strip 5a. The door has at its free side any known or suitablelocking or latching means, such for example as that disclosed inl theabove identified application Serial No. 426,475 and here sufficientlyrepresented by the latch 6 engaging one of the strips 4a or 5a, withlatch releasing means whichmay also be as in said application, and heresufficiently represented by aperture 7 in the door frame at its freeside, this aperture being preferably shaped externally in semblance of akeyhole, although the latch operating'arrangement or means ispreferably, as shown in said application, incapable of key operation, asand for reasons therein setforth., 1.

One orpreferablyl a 4plurality of card `or directory 'slip exhibitingpanels 1,0V are pivotally mounted within the `frame opening Eachofthesepanels has a frame consisting of upper and lower strips 11 .connected bysaid' strips 12, and is pivotally mounted by means of hinge pinsj13carried by brackets 14V connected to the panel frame at one side and f Yat top and bottom thereof, as best shown in Figs. 3 and '4 these hingepins engaging in brackets 15 connected tofupper and, lower transverseframe strips ta.` The side members 12 of thepanel frame are providedwith channell formations to receive the cards, such as the directorydatastrips or slips 16, and

' preferably in some cases-as shown, these channels (17 arefformed asintegral parts ='of' thin metal strips 18 securedon frame strips 12. Theupper and Ylowerfra'rme strips 11 have at their centers yrearwardlydepressed and lower ends of .a vertical channel'strip.

or socket formations 18a to receive the upper y 19v'which retains acushion strip 2O of suitable compressiblematerial such as sponge rubber.lThis cushion or strip is so dimeneoV ' flatplanevof vthe directoryslips located 1in lio sioned that Vit projects substantially beyond thesides of the channelstrip 19, and its outer face is in aplane. outwardfrom the'normal the channel 17, so that when these slipsare inserted inthe channels, theyy are bowed 1 slightly outwardA and thus retained in.position during insertion or adjustment. AWhen all kthe panels are inclosed" position, thatis parallel toy or 'against the transverse stripslJfand 54a, and door 3 is shut and latched the door glass 4 engages thecentral portionsy of all the' directory 'slips Yor .cards of all the.panels .and compressesfall ofv the cushion' Y strips 20, so that thedirectoryslips are thereupon resiliently 'but iirmlyheld in position,securefagainst displacement.

YTo assist materially in moving the various Vpanels toconvenientposition for slip manipulation after the door is'opened, andalso to assist door opening, as will appear, I preferablyrprovide springmeans mounted in the frame or on certain of the :transverseframe stripsand acting'onthepanels to initially move them outward when the door isopened.

In the form'Y shown, such spring means con- ,sists yof strips 25rof:spring sheet,.metal,.in

itiallybowedmas shown'in Fig.` 5 and hav ing theirends 26 reverselycurved.V These springs are fastened tothe central transverse framestripain positions'opposite the',VV side 6b members: 12 of the panels Yat .thefreel sides thereof; After` inserting or ladjusting the directory slips,ythe panels are moved to nearly closed position, withjtheir free vsidesin contactfwith the ends of springs 25, and

thenwhen the door isshut the panels are all forced-back to positionsparallel to the transverse i frame i strips, with Vaccoirpanying'fstraightening and energizing of the sprmgs 125, which are maintainedrinsuch condition by the latching or locking Y of the door. When the dooris unlocked, the'springs immediately act t'force all the panels Voutwardat theirfree sides and the panelsin turn act 'on the door and force thedoor outward, clear of thegcasingV at ,its f reesi'de, and sufficientlyfor the free edge of the door to be grasped,

whereupon the door may be swung wide open." At the" YSametime alll thepanels are moved to partly open position, so that any `one'o'f them maybe easily grasped and fully opened for convenient .manipulation of thedirectory slips. 'Y

'In card. exhibitingfstructures of this class, namely, lwhenintended foruse as building directories andfth'e'l like, it isV 'usuallyundesirableto provide the door with aneXternal knob or handle,and'the'desc'ribed construction kor varrangement enables the door to beVeasily openedafter unlocking or unlatching,

without, necessity. for 'l any l such knob or handle. I I t. Y Y

'When the structure Vispin closed?, position, as best 'shown in Fig.2,'t'he panels-.are all aligned in a' single plane, with Ythe free sideof each'pianel closely abutting the next panel 'at its hingedl side, andno space. isti-wasted by vertical bars or stiles b'et'ween'thev panels,since the hinge brackets l's'upporting them inthe casing are parallel tothe 'panelsides inthe depthwise directionofl the casing.

1. s A card exhibitingor directory Vstructure comprisinga casing havingapanel opening, a panel Y,pivot'allymounted therein, the Vpanel havingcardholdingmeans, a doorAv pivotallyl mountedvin. the casingand closingthe panel opening andvv'having a cover glass, and means forsecuringthedo'orin closed position to Y thereby retain Ythe panel in closedposition,

Y a'springmountedlon 'a frame meinberof the' casing and actingonthepanelatiits free side, the-springbeing compressed by closing Vofthe door and-acting whenthedoor'is re-V comprising a casing having apanel open-A ing, a plurality `of panels pivotally mounted therein toswing onvvertical axes, each .panel having card'holding means, a'doorpivotally mounted inthe casing and set into and .closing theentire panelopeningand Yhaving a cover glass, means forsecuringthe door inclosedpositionto'thereby retain the panels 1n closed position, andspring means acting between the easing and the panels and tending tomove them outward and thereby acting to initially move the door outwardwhen its securing inea-ns is released.

3. A card exhibiting or directory structure comprising a casing having apanel opening, a plurality of panels pivotally mounted therein to swingon vertical aXes, each panel having card holding means, a door pivotallymounted in the casing and set into and closing the entire panel openingand having a cover glass, means for securing the door in closed positionto thereby retain the panels in closed position, and springs mounted inthe casing and acting on the panels at their free sides, the springsbeing compressed by closing of the door and acting when the door isreleased to move the panels and the door initially outward.

4. A card exhibiting or directory structure comprising a. casing havinga panel opening, a plurality of panels pivotally mounted therein toswing on vertical axes, each panel having card holding means, a doorpivotally mounted in the casing and set into and closing the entirepanel opening and having a cover glass, means for securing the door inclosed position to thereby retain the panels in closed position, springscarried by a frame member and engaging panels at their free sidestending to move the panels and door toward open positions, each panelhaving a vertical cushion strip engaging behind cards or slips retainedby said card holding means, the cushion strips being so dimensioned andarranged that when the door is closed they are compressed and hold thecards or slips resiliently against the door glass.

In testimony whereoi:l I have aiiixed my signature.

GRANVILLE S. RIDER.

